‘No Fuel Shortage’: Hardeep Singh Puri Says LPG Output Up 28%, Panic Buying Driving Demand

Last Updated:March 12, 2026, 19:10 IST

Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri assured the Lok Sabha that there is no fuel shortage in the country, as he highlighted the country's diversified energy sources.

Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Thursday said in the Lok Sabha that there is no fuel shortage in India and that the country possesses sufficient crude oil, given its diversified supply sources.

The statement came amid mounting concerns about the availability of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders, amid reports of energy supply disruptions following the West Asia conflict.

Noting that the world has not faced such a moment in modern energy history, Puri assured that the nation’s crude supply remains secure.

“The world has not faced a moment like this in modern energy history. Despite India having no role in causing the conflict, like many countries, India has been navigating through a conflict. India’s crude supply position is secure, and the secured volume exceeds what Hormuz would have delivered. Before the crisis, approximately 45 per cent of India’s crude imports transited through the Strait of Hormuz route", Puri said.

He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s diplomatic outreach for the nation’s crude volumes, that “exceed what the disrupted Strait of Hormuz could have delivered in the same period".

“Thanks to the Prime Minister’s outstanding diplomatic outreach and goodwill, India has secured crude volumes that exceed what the disrupted Strait of Hormuz could have delivered in the same period," he said.

The minister cautioned the public against disseminating fake narratives and rumour-mongering. “This is not the moment for rumour-mongering or fake narratives. India is navigating the most severe global energy disruption in recorded history. Fuel supplies flowing, gas and power supplies for homes and farms, LPG production has been stepped up by 28 per cent".

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India’s Diversified Energy Sources 

Addressing the Lok Sabha, Hardeep Puri emphasised India sourced food from 33 nations in 2022-23, which equipped New Delhi with diversified options, which many other countries lack.

“India sourced food from 40 countries in 2020-2021, 32 countries in 2021-2022, and 33 countries in 2022-2023. This national diversification will through sustained policy over the successive years has given us options that other nations find themselves without. Refineries are operating at high capacity utilization. In several cases, they are exceeding 100%. There is no shortage of petrol, diesel, kerosene, ATF, alternative fuel, fuel oil. The availability of petrol, diesel, aviation, turbine fuel, kerosene, and fuel oil is fully assured", he stated.

Listing measures taken to ensure the smooth energy supply in the country, Puri told the House, “Large LNG cargos are arriving on almost a daily basis through alternative supply routes. Retail outlets across the country are stocked and supply chain for these products are functioning normally. Additional allocation of PDS kerosene has been issued for all the states. Natural gas supply has been managed through prioritized allocation and the position is stable, well beyond immediate needs. India produces approximately 90 million metric standard cubic meters per day of natural gas domestically".

The minister noted India has sufficient gas production and supply arrangements to sustain the situation even if the conflict stretches further.

“And India has sufficient gas production and supply arrangements to sustain the situation even in the event of a prolonged conflict. Power generation for every household and for industry is fully protected", he stated.

Why Strait Of Hormuz Matters?

Strait of Hormuz, world’s most significant maritime chokepoint, came under the spotlight as the West Asia conflict widened. One of the most important energy corridors, the Strait allows one-fifth of the world’s crude oil to pass through the narrow channel.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Wednesday it would not allow “a litre of oil" to pass through the waterway. The threat came amid a surging conflict in the region following the February 28 U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran.

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